Brazilian legislation provides strong protections for employees welcoming a child, alongside a range of other statutory leaves. Below is a detailed overview of each type and what employees must submit to request it.
Leave types in the platform
These are the exact names you will see when booking time off in Brazil.
Name in the platform | Entitlement | Covers |
Vacation | 30 calendar days | Annual leave (férias) |
Sick Leave | No fixed annual balance | Illness and injury |
Maternity Leave | 120 calendar days | Licença-Maternidade |
Paternity Leave | 5 calendar days | Licença-Paternidade |
Childbirth Leave | 4 working days | Licença por Nascimento de Filho |
Bereavement Leave | 5 calendar days | Falecimento de Parente |
Marriage Leave | 3 calendar days | Licença-Casamento |
Blood Donation Leave | 1 working day per year | Doação de Sangue |
Civic Duty Leave | No fixed annual balance | Voting, court appearances, union activity |
Military Leave | No fixed annual balance | Serviço Militar |
Study Leave | No fixed annual balance | Exams (vestibular) and professional development |
Paid Leave | No fixed annual balance | Medical consultations and other paid absences |
Unpaid Leave | No fixed annual balance | Unpaid absence by agreement |
Maternity Leave (Licença‑Maternidade)
Duration: 120 days
Start: May begin up to 28 days before the expected delivery date
Eligibility: Biological mothers; adoptive mothers; employees who gain legal custody for adoption purposes
What maternity leave covers
Time to prepare for childbirth
Recovery after delivery (including cesarean)
Bonding with the newborn or adopted child
Protection under job stability rules during pregnancy and return
Required Documentation
Employees must provide one of the following:
Medical certificate showing the expected date of delivery, and a recommendation for leave to begin early if applicable
Baby's birth certificate, if the leave is requested after delivery
Adoption or custody certificate, for adoptive parents
Preferred start date of maternity leave
Confirmation statement that the employee will take the full 120‑day period
Paternity Leave (Licença‑Paternidade)
Duration: 5 days, starting from the child's birth date
Eligibility: Biological fathers and, in some cases, adoptive fathers/partners
Documentation: child's birth certificate, exact date of birth and preferred start date of leave
Important Notes
Paternity leave must begin immediately after birth.
If the company participates in certain optional programs (e.g., "Empresa Cidadã"), leave may be longer but only if applicable by company policy.
Important Reminders for All Parental Leave
All documents should be sent to Remote People Support so we can record the leave correctly and ensure social‑security compliance.
Employees must notify Remote People as early as possible when expecting a child to ensure proper documentation and payroll setup.
Other Paid Leave Types
Bereavement Leave (Falecimento de Parente)
Duration: 2 days under CLT; 5 days for some employment categories or collective agreements. The platform grants 5 calendar days.
Covers: Death of spouse, ancestors, descendants, or siblings
Documentation: Death certificate
Marriage Leave (Licença‑Casamento)
Duration: 3 consecutive days
Documentation: Marriage certificate (after the ceremony)
Childbirth Leave (Licença por Nascimento de Filho)
Separate from paternity leave; typically for non‑fathers.
Duration: the platform grants 4 working days.
Documentation: Child's birth certificate
Blood Donation Leave (Doação de Sangue)
Duration: 1 day per year
Documentation: Official confirmation from the donation center
Civic Duty Leave — voting, court and union activity
One platform policy covers all three:
Voting (Tempo para Votar): up to 2 hours, depending on region. No documentation typically required.
Court appearance (Comparecimento em Juízo): where the employee is officially required to appear. Documentation: court summons or attendance confirmation.
Union activity (Atividades Sindicais): where the employee serves as a union representative. Documentation: union confirmation.
Military Leave (Serviço Militar)
Granted for mandatory military activities.
Documentation: Summons or military notice
Study Leave (Vestibular / Exam)
Duration: 1 day per exam, when related to education or professional development
Documentation: Proof of exam enrollment or attendance
Paid Leave — medical consultations
Employees are generally permitted time for medical appointments; book these as Paid Leave.
Documentation: Appointment confirmation or medical note
Special rules apply for prenatal examinations — these must always be fully paid.
Family Care Leave
Some employers offer care leave based on internal policy or collective agreements — for example up to 30 days a year to care for a child under 12, or up to 15 days a year for other immediate family members. This is not strictly CLT‑mandated and varies by employer and union agreement.
There is no dedicated family care policy in the platform. If this applies to you, contact your Remote People HR contact to arrange it.
Documentation: Medical certificate describing the relative's condition and the employee's need for presence.